Electrical connector



April 1951 F. w. MEBOLD 2,547,225

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed May 3, 1946 lNmFA/fme' FREDERICK W. MEBOLD'FIG.7. FIG.8. 5

14 7- TQRNE Patented Apr. 3, 1951 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Frederick W.Mebold, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to James R. Kearney Corporation, St.Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application May 3, 1946, SerialNo. 666,856

This invention relates generally to connectors adapted for use'inmechanically and electrically connecting electrical conductors and otherelements, and more specifically to the type'of connector which isemployed extensively in the construction, extension, and repair ofelectrical systems of various kinds, such as telephone, telegraph,light, and power systems, and which includes a longitudinally slotted,bolt-like member with which is cooperatively associated a nut and washerassembly movable screwthreadedly on said bolt 50 that wires, or otherelements, may be mechanically and electrically clamped between thewasher and a portion of the bolt, the predominant object of theinvention being to provide a wire connector of this type which includesresilient means adapted to insure application of sumcient pressureagainst the elements clamped by the connector to produce the desiredperfect electrical contact at all times between 1 Claim. (Cl. 24-124)said elements being clamped andparts of the nector which includes as anintegral part thereof resilient means that is adapted to exert positivespring pressure against the clamped elements at all times during use ofthe connector. Because of this arrangement positive electrical contactis provided between elements connected by the connector when the nut ofthe connector is drawn up tight, and this positive electrical contactbetween the clamped elements is maintained by the resilient means of theconnector if for any reason any looseness of the connector develops.

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the improved connector of thepresent invention, with parts thereof shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified form of the washer of the connectorillustrated in Figs. 1, 2,

and 3. a

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 66 of Fig. 4.

2 Fig. 7 is a'plan view of another modified form of the washer of theconnector illustrated in Figs.

1, 2, and 3. Fig. 8 is a section taken on line 8:l of Fig. '7.

In the drawings, wherein are shown for purposes of illustration, merely,several embodiments of the invention, A designates in Figs. 1, 2, and 3the improved connector generally. The connector A of the view mentionedincludes a bolt I which is provided with a slot Z that extendslongitudinally of the bolt, said slot being open at one end of the shankportion of the bolt and at its opposite end terminating in a: wire seat3 which is located at the inner portion of the head of the bolt. Thespaced apart legs I of the bolt I are screwthreaded on their outercurved faces,

and mounted on said spaced legs isan assembly ,4 that includes a nut 5ends. washer 6.

The nut 5 and the washer t are permanently associated with each other insuch manner that the nutmay rotate relative to the washer. The

washer comprises an annular portion 6a which surrounds the spaced legsof the bolt 9, the outer marginal portion of said annular portionproviding an annular skirt portion which bears edgewise upon the upperface of the nut 5 (see portions of Fig. 1 which are in section) Thewasher includes also a relatively narrow bridge portion 62) whichextends transversely of the washer and the presence of this bridgeportion provides the washer with segmental openings .60 through whichthe correspondingly shaped legs I of the bolt I pass. The washer isprovided with a pair of fingers 611 which are extended from the skirtportion of the washer at points adjacentto the opposite ends of thebridge portion, these fingers being extended initially inwardly and thendownwardly through the bore of the nut. The free ends of the finger 6dare bent outwardly so that they underlie the lower face of the nut 5 andmaintain the nut and washer in such assembled relation as to permit thenut to rotate about the screwthreaded bolt shank while the washer movesin a non-rotatable manner longitudinally of the bolt shank, the bridgeportion 612 of the washer 6 moving longitudinally of and within the slot2 of said bolt l r The features of construction of the connector of thepresent invention which dififerentiate the connector of the presentinvention from connectors of the same general type heretofore known hasto do with construction and arrangement of the bridge portion 6b of thewasher 6 of the connector A, and the material of which said washer ismade. In other words, the washer 6 of washer 6 and the inwardlyextended, upper por- I tions 66 of the fingers 6d of said washer, saidspaces I, and the other features of construction ,referred to above,serving functions to be hereinafter set forth.

In the use of the connector illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, theconnector A is arranged so that the wires W, or other elements to beconnected,

pass through the upper portion of the slot 2 of the bolt I of theconnector. The nut and washer assembly 6 is then screwed upwardly on theshank portion of the bolt 1 to clamp the wires W between the wire seat 3of the bolt and the resilient and bowed bridge portion 6?) of the washer6.

The nut and washer assembly 6 is screwednpwardly relative to the boltshank a sufficient distance to place the resilient bridge portion of thewasher under considerable spring tension and this will cause the wires Wto be forced together with such pressure that positive electricalcontact is obtained between the wires themselves and between the upperwire and the wire seat 3-.

It is obvious, that in the use of the connector illustrated in Figs. 1,2, and 3, the tendency of the connector to become loose due to vibrationof the wires, or for any otherreason, is eliminated, as the resilientbridge portion 6?) of the washer 6 takes up any looseness that maydevelop by continuing to force the wires W into close contact with eachother and with the wire seat 3. As to the spaces "l between the oppositeend portions of the bridge portion 61) and the inwardly extended, upperportions 66 of the fingers 6d of the washer 6, it is pointed out thatthese spaces provide for free resilient movement of the bridge portionof the washer throughout its entire length.

In Figs. 4, 5, and 6 a form of washer 8 is illustrated which isconstructed in accordance with the washer shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3,except that the transverse bridge portion 8a of Figs. 4, 5, and

4 connector shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, as previously explained herein.

In Figs. '7 and 8 a Washer I0 is illustrated which is provided with atransverse bridge portion that is made up of a pair of bowed, inwardlyextended bridge portion extensions Illa and H12). The sections Illa and19b of the bridge portion of the washer shown in Figs. 7 and 8 are sorelated to each other that they combine to provide the washer H) with anupwardly bowed bridge portion that functions in the same manner as thebridge portion of the washer 6 of the connector A illustrated in Figs.1, 2, and 3.

I claim:

A connector comprising a bolt having spaced apart shank .portionsscrewthreaded at their outer portions, a nutand washer assembly mountedon said spaced apart shank portions of said bolt,

' said nut being arranged to move said washer longitudinally of saidbolt in a straight-line nonrotatable manner as the nut is screwedlongitudina-lly of the bolt so asto clamp one or more eie" mentsbetweensaid washer and a .partof said bolt, said washer beinginherentlyresilient' and said washer being provided with an integralbridge portion that extends through the space between said spaced shankportions of said bolt and is bowed upwardly and is adapted to contactwith an element clamped by the connector so as to exert spring pressurethereagainst, said bowed bridge portion being comprised of a pair ofarou-v ate elements having adjacently located free end portions, andmeans for retaining said washer in such assembled relation with respectto its associated nut that said nut may rotate relative to said washer.

FREDERICK W. MEBOLD. 7

REFERENCES DITED The following references are of record in the tile ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENT Number Name Date 1,873,559 Dibner Aug. 23, 19321,943,677 Kearney Jan. 16, 1934 2,062,882 Heinrich ec. l, 1936 2,164,075ORussa June 27, 1939 2,262,312 Rogoff Nov. 11, 1941 2,471,957 HubbardMar. 31, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 522,747 Great BritainJune '26, 1940

